The Steadfast Tin Soldier
by Toon Friend
Summary: It was on a moonlit night when a simple tin soldier may have found his perfect match in a beautiful ballerina. No matter what challenges are thrown at him, he will always remain steadfast on his one leg...
1. The Soldier and the Ballerina

**The Steadfast Tin Soldier**

**Here it is! My third story! I'm pretty excited to get this fic started, even though this will also have a sad ending. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago nor The Steadfast Tin Soldier! They belong to Lego and HC Andersen respectively. There. Now let's get this story started!**

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Chapter 1: The Soldier and the Ballerina

It was on a beautiful moonlight night when our story began…

A little boy eagerly opened his birthday present, excited to see what he got.

"Soldiers!" He cried ecstatically.

Lined up in neat rows like a real cavalry, twenty-five soldiers stood tall, ready for their orders.

The boy already took a liking to his new present. He lined them up on a table in the nursery and even gave each and every one of them their own unique names, like Lloyd and Zane. But when he got to the very last soldier, he noticed that this one was very different.

He only had one leg.

The toymaker made all of the soldiers from one tin spoon he melted down to fill the molds. But there wasn't enough to complete the last soldier so he stood on one leg. Yet, he was steadfast on his one leg just like his brethren with their two.

The boy settled on a slightly outlandish name for such a peculiar soldier.

Kai.

And so, he had Kai placed on the corner of the table in his nursery, away from the other soldiers but he still stood on his one leg as steadfast as can be.

But don't think he'll be forgotten.

It's always the different ones who stand out…

* * *

It's been a few weeks since the boy received the tin soldiers and he would play with them every time he had the chance and Kai had his fair share of being played with like all the soldiers.

Aside from his one leg, he didn't look any different from his brethren.

He proudly stood with his simple yet becoming red uniform, hints of brown hair could be seen from under his tall military hat, and he kept his trusty musket at his side.

But it was the times when he was left alone that he preferred.

When the boy would leave for supper or bedtime, Kai would stand on the table, taking in all the sights and playthings that surrounded the nursery.

The most striking of all was a magnificent palace on the center of the table. In front of it was a lake that was actually a mirror so the castle was reflected on it, like a surreal work of art. Swans made of wax were placed on top so it appeared that they swam upon the reflective surface.

But to Kai, the most beautiful thing of all was…

…_her_.

In front of the palace was a beautiful little ballerina.

Unlike Kai and the other soldiers, who were simply made of molded tin and paint, the ballerina was made with so much painstaking detail it must've taken the toymaker years to finish her.

The most notable was her detailed tutu made out of the most delicate silk, muslin, and organza in vibrant shades of orange like the sunset.

The bodice with a sweetheart neckline was decorated with delicate and intricate trims made of golden threads that shimmered when struck by light.

The short dainty skirt itself was adorned with transparent layers of tulle in varying orange and red hues and accented with sparkling golden lace and glitter so it looked like she was dressed in hot passionate flames.

Her skin was colored in a light olive hue that made her stand out from all the other dolls in the nursery. Her hair that had the color of sand and ending above her shoulders was adorned with a crown of red carnations.

Even her eyes could captivate all who'd lay their own eyes on her. They were a bright blue just like a clear summer sky. There was even a tiny dot right at the outer edge of her right eye that seemed to be intentionally painted on the make her even more distinct.

But what was most eye-catching of all was the sequin roughly the size of her face that shone in gold like the sun wrapped around her waist by a string of very tiny beads.

If the little ballerina were human, then all men who would lay eyes on her would fall in love in an instant.

However, she was but a little toy.

And so was Kai.

"She's the most beautiful girl I have ever seen…" Kai mused out loud.

He _knew_ they were just meant to be for she had only stood on one leg like him.

But what he didn't know was that she had _two_ legs the whole time. She stood on the tip-toes of one foot in a dainty pointe shoe with a delicate ribbon wrapped around her ankle and held the other leg up so high Kai couldn't see it from where he stood so he presumed the ballerina also had just one leg like he did.

Even the way she had her arms outstretched appeared as if the beautiful creature was actually reaching out to him as if they were meant to be together, not that Kai minded.

'Surely it's destiny that has brought us together,' the soldier thought, 'but alas, she belongs in a palace as grand as hers while I share a plain box with the other soldiers. That's no place for her. But the least I can do is try to get to know her…'

Thus, every time he was placed on the edge of the table, he would always gaze at the gorgeous dancer and she would remain perfectly still with her arms outstretched towards him while both stood on one leg.

Eventually, the soldier learned that the ballerina even had a name.

One day, Kai observed a little girl he assumed to be the sister of the boy who received him and his fellow soldiers on his birthday playing with some dolls in front of the palace. While admiring the tiny dancer, the girl called her Aria.

"Aria…" The one-legged soldier whispered.

It was simple yet beautiful.

Every time he stood on guard, he would always gaze at her and in turn, Aria would gaze back at him with eyes like the summer sky.

It was strange.

Whenever their eyes gazed right at one another, Kai felt something in his chest. It was warm yet there was no source of heat to cause such an unusual phenomenon but he didn't care much for it as long as he gazed upon Aria standing on one leg just like him.

Was it love?

He wouldn't know for sure because he was still new and had yet to explore so many emotions but seeing Aria reaching out to him on her one leg filled the soldier with the warm comforting feelings within himself he wished he could be with her forever.

But Kai still had his duty as a soldier to protect his home and loved ones.

And he will protect Aria from any danger come what may…

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**And that's the first chapter!**

**The next one may feature Aria's perspective on their first 'meeting', what she thinks of Kai, & we'll see the troll (or Jack in the Box) who'll be inspired by the Overlord.**

**So what do you think?**

**Tell me in your reviews!**


	2. She's not Yours

**The Steadfast Tin Soldier**

**Wow! I can't believe the first chapter has been so well-received! Before I begin this chapter I just wanna say thank you! Without you all, I wouldn't have had the confidence to write a third story, so I now present you the second chapter of The Steadfast Tin Soldier!**

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Chapter 2: She's not Yours

Warm.

That was what Aria felt every time she would see that peculiar one-legged soldier standing on the edge of the table, watching over all the inhabitants like a real cavalryman would.

It's been several weeks since the boy who played here every day got a set of tin soldiers on his birthday and there was that one man who was different than the rest. But the boy played with him just as much as his brethren born from the same tin spoon.

The boy would address each individual soldier by name and the ballerina soon learned that the one-legged man's name was Kai.

It was unusual but it couldn't be more apt for the distinctive soldier.

'He's so different…' Aria thought while looking at the admittedly handsome soldier who will be forever incomplete with his one leg but that wasn't the only reason why he stood out to her.

The rest of the soldiers just stared at whatever was in front of them, as if caring about nothing except their duties to guard and protect the nursery while Kai would look at his surroundings in a diligent yet curious manner. His hot amber eyes looked at the palace where she resided with awe and had a cautious expression when the flames of the stove with caution because of his tin body, he will melt if he gets too close.

The same could be said for the little ballerina because her gorgeous tutu was made from highly flammable material so she too avoided the stove.

Thus, days would pass by in which the soldier and ballerina see nothing but each other.

But it was a different story once the sun goes down and the moon and stars illuminate the night sky because something peculiar happens when people are asleep.

The toys in the nursery were always eager for the clock to strike midnight. Once both hands on the clock reach the big number twelve, that's when they come to life. While the little ones slept the night away, their precious playthings had the nursery to themselves and can finally be more like the humans who created them.

Now that they can move freely, the tin soldiers marched off to take patrol in the nursery. With only one leg, all Kai can do was hop around and it was difficult to keep up with his brethren. He still did his best to stay with them but he soon fell behind and they forgot about him.

But he didn't mind.

The steadfast soldier now found himself closer than ever to the ballerina.

Like all the toys Aria can now move like a human and she began to dance on the glass lake. The dainty ballerina made tiny steps on her tip-toes and leapt and twirled gracefully on the mirror that cast her reflection. Her dance was so gorgeous many of the toys gathered to watch the tiny ballerina, including the one-legged soldier.

But to Kai, this left him dismayed by a bitter realization.

Aria actually had _two_ legs the whole time. She really was too grand for him.

The beautiful ballerina also took notice of the downtrodden soldier who now stood at the edge of the lake, admiring her until he realized they weren't the same. She walked with grace on her toes until she was standing in front of him.

"Kai…?"

Her voice was rather high-pitched but it was also robust.

The one-legged soldier was surprised to see the ballerina so close to him despite her being way above him. He didn't even care that she somehow knew his name.

Why would she bother with him if they belonged to two different worlds?

"Kai…" Aria brought one delicate hand against his cheek and turned his head so he can look at her. Those beautiful sky blue eyes looked even more enticing up close.

"D-don't bother with me…" He tried not to look at her, no matter how gorgeous she was, "I'm nowhere near your level."

"Just because you have one leg doesn't mean you're not as good as the other soldiers."

To Kai's surprise, the ballerina didn't reject him because he will be incomplete forever. In fact, she seemed to embrace his difference from the other soldiers.

"Actually, it makes you even more special."

Once he turned to face her, he was greeted by her smile.

Under the moonlight, the sequin on the ballerina's waist sparkled like the sun.

If he was suddenly taken and thrown out the window or even into the stove, Kai wouldn't care. As long as he had this one moment with Aria, that was all he needed to die happy. The strange warm feelings returned to both of them as they stood still, gazing at each other. While the toys went about playing and making noise, Kai and Aria stayed right where they were, both standing on one leg and seeing only each other.

But then, the clock struck three.

The toys looked around in alarm and scurried back to their original positions as quickly as they can and were once again inanimate playthings.

Aria also seemed startled by the time. She wrapped her thin arms around Kai for just one brief second before rushing back to the front of her palace and was back in the same position as she had before midnight, leaving him standing at the edge of the lake.

It was for the briefest of moments but the soldier will never forget that tender embrace.

In the darkness, a strange yet familiar tune suddenly played with a haunting echo.

After spending days in the nursery, Kai knew that sound. Whenever the children would wind up the gear on a box they kept in the room, that same jingle would play. Once the melody ended, a spring with a rather frightening face and disproportionately small arms would burst out of the box but the children would only laugh when the figure popped out.

They called it a jack-in-the-box.

"Stop looking."

A gravelly voice that wasn't even in the slightest bit smooth echoed in the moonlight.

Because of his duties as a soldier, Kai remained steadfast, refusing to show any fear.

"I said stop looking." The voice repeated in a more aggressive tone.

Aggravated by the hoarse cacophony breaking the tranquility between him and Aria, Kai turned around and was now face to face with the jack-in-the-box. His face was terrifying but the soldier stood firm on one leg like he was meant to do, refusing to show fear.

"Don't look at her." The troll-like figure warned Kai, pointing at Aria who stood still on one leg, still reaching out to her tin soldier.

"Why?" Kai asked.

"Don't desire something that isn't yours."

"Then who does she belong to?"

"She doesn't belong to you."

"And she's not yours either."

The moment he talked back at the vile thing, Kai knew this could be the end of him

The hideous creature's frown grew larger, making him look even more disturbing but Kai stood strong like the soldier he was meant to be.

"Just you wait, soldier. You'll learn not to covet what will never be yours."

Then the figure retreated into his box and disappeared.

Despite his warnings, the soldier went back to gazing at his ballerina, who in turn, gazed back at him with her arms stretched out towards him and standing on one leg just like him.

Whether or not the jack-in-the-box will strike again, Kai didn't care.

As a soldier, he'll uphold his duty to protect Aria from that wicked thing. He didn't know when or where he'll see him again, but he will be ready…

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**And that's the second chapter to The Steadfast Tin Soldier.**

**First thing I wanna say is… I'm SO sorry for not updating! I wanted to get this chapter done a few days ago but a bunch of real life stuff happened and I can only focus on Chosen by Destiny! Again, I'm SO sorry!**

**Second, jack-in-the-box!Overlord appeared at 3 AM because that time is considered in some cultures the 'demon hour' & he's the epitome of all evil so… yeah.**

**Hopefully, the next update won't take as long as this one & don't forget to review!**


	3. Down the Drain

**The Steadfast Tin Soldier**

**OMFG! I'm SO sorry for the late update! I kinda forgot this story but now I'm back! Hopefully this story will be finished before August! Now here's the long overdue chapter!**

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Chapter 3: Down the Drain

It's been days since Kai encountered the unpleasant jack-in-the-box, who warned him that Aria will never be his and to not desire what he can never have.

But nothing particularly terrible happened to him so the tin soldier only believed that the ugly toy was merely trying to lure him away from the ballerina and it was obvious it didn't work. The steadfast soldier remained standing on one leg, keeping guard over the gorgeous dancer.

Things soon went back to the way they used to.

The children will come in the nursery to play every afternoon, only leaving for supper or be with their human friends outside, and then play with their toys until the scullery maid called them to be with their parents.

The days continued to pass without incident and Kai had almost completely forgotten about the jack-in-the-box and his warnings to stay away from her.

Not that he would in the first place.

He couldn't keep his eyes off the ballerina and she would stand on one leg just like him. Things remained the way they were for the next few weeks and all was peaceful until one day, the boy left Kai out on the windowsill while the window itself was open.

The tin soldier curiously looked down and almost felt dizzy seeing how far the ground was from the ledge upon where he stood. He turned around, trying his best to ignore the height between him and the cobbled streets far below and remained on guard in the nursery, keeping his eyes on Aria, who looked back on him while standing on one leg despite having two.

But Kai ignored the dizzying height behind him, thinking only of his duty to protect Aria.

As if out of nowhere, a gust of wind flung Kai out of the window.

What caused such a strange phenomenon?

The one-legged soldier could've sworn he heard a malicious chuckle just before he fell.

'The jack-in-the-box…' The soldier thought with more than a little annoyance.

That ugly creature must've orchestrated the whole thing.

Down and down he fell until he landed on the ground, wedged between two of the stones that was part of the cobbled street. With only one leg, Kai struggled to free himself but he managed to pull his way out. He got a look at the house where he dwelled just moments before and for the first time, he realized how _small_ he was.

Despite his awareness of his diminutive size, he was still steadfast, standing tall on one leg even when little drops of rain fell from the skies and soaked him and everything they touched.

Eventually, two boys Kai didn't recognized spotted him standing on the stony streets. Although it was raining, they still wanted to play.

One boy found a sheet of paper and made a boat and the other boy put the tin soldier on it, as if he was to set sail. The boys placed the crude paper boat upon a tiny current of rainwater that went downstream.

"There he goes!" One of boys shouted gleefully, "The soldier's already set sail!"

The little paper boat floated down the little stream and the boys followed it until it disappeared down the sewer, taking the tin soldier with it.

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The darkness was foreboding and the air was corrupted by an awful stench. Any simple-minded soul would be terrified but Kai didn't show fear. He _never_ will, even as the rats who dwelled in these sewers glared at the little invader with beady eyes.

Even during this desperate hour, all the tin soldier could think about was _her_…

'Aria…'

Kai still remembered the moment he and Aria truly met for the first time. She accepted him for who he was, regardless if he was forever incomplete and even stood on one leg like him in spite of having two.

What about that wicked jack-in-the-box?

The soldier still believed that grotesque creature may have caused him to fall out of the window and he had no idea what he could do to Aria now that she's unprotected. He didn't even want to think about the harm he could be inflicting on the poor girl.

The boat kept going down the current until coming out of a gutter and into a stream. The paper grew soggy and fell apart but Kai remained standing even while sinking underwater.

All he can think about was Aria.

He can still see her dancing under the moonlight the day they met. He can still see the ballerina now, approaching him and accepting him even if he was below her. If he had a heart, it would be filled with sorrow knowing he'll never see her again. Yet, having that one moment with her was all he needed to die happy.

The soldier can only think about the ballerina and those thoughts made him content even as he sank further into the dark depths of the water.

The last thing Kai saw was a large gaping mouth closing in on him before everything went black.

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**Way to go, Kai. Now you're eaten by a fish. Really. That's what actually happened to the soldier in the original story.**

**Anyway, it's all gonna go downhill from here.**

**Again, I'm SO sorry I forgot this story! I'll try to get the last chapter up before the end of this month because that's around the time my poll ends. If you're curious, there's more info at my profile & you can vote if you want (unless you already did).**

**Oh, & one more thing…**

**HAPPY 4****TH**** OF JULY!**


	4. Flames of Love

**The Steadfast Tin Soldier**

**Another story completed, another story to say goodbye to… *sigh***

**Anyway, here's the final chapter of my (hopefully) last story with a tragic ending. If you're a sucker for happy endings… LEAVE. NOW.**

**Don't say I didn't warn you. Read on.**

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Chapter 4: Flames of Love

Meanwhile, in the nursery, Aria never moved since Kai was mysteriously flung out the window. The ballerina stood on one leg just like the tin soldier with her thin arms outstretched towards the windowsill where he was last seen.

"Good riddance!" The jack-in-the-box cackled once the clock struck midnight.

The other toys happily went about, making their own games they can play with one another.

But Aria didn't dance even one step.

She found no point in dancing if Kai wasn't there to watch over her.

"Dance!" The jack-in-the-box ordered her but she wouldn't budge.

"I said dance!" He repeated.

"No." She responded.

The malicious toy was vexed that even the soldier, as foolish as he was, somehow managed to influence the tiny dancer.

"I'll wait for him," Aria continued to speak in defiance, "No matter what it takes, I shall stand on one leg and wait until he returns."

"You're just as foolish as you're beautiful." The creature sneered, "You'll _never_ be his and he'll _never_ be yours."

"Then who do I belong to?"

The jack-in-the-box was so furious he wanted to throw the ballerina into the stove where she'll surely burn with her flammable tutu that ironically looked like flames. But he can wait…

Their time will come…

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Black…

It was all Kai could see in the cramped space he was trapped in for a long time but he endured. As a soldier, it was his duty to remain steadfast.

'Aria…'

His eyes see only darkness but his mind could still see the ballerina with her tutu adorning her like passionate flames that seemed to flicker around her as she twirled and leapt with a beauty and grace like no other. She was also willing to accept him despite his humble appearance and the fact he was forever incomplete with just one leg.

He also couldn't forget her touch when she hugged him for just a brief moment before the evil jack-in-the-box revealed himself.

The faint hint of a smile appeared on the soldier's face as he reminisced over the ballerina.

Their time together, although brief, was all he needed to die happy.

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Kai had no idea how long it has been since he saw daylight but just as suddenly as the darkness swallowed him, the light returned.

A kitchen maid cut open a fish fresh from the market and was surprised to see a toy inside.

After the little soldier was washed of all the gruesome things found inside the fish, she carried him up the stairs and into a certain room and placed him on the table.

The tin soldier was astonished by his location!

He was back in the nursery where he belonged!

Most of all, there was Aria standing in front of her grand palace before the mirror lake casting her lovely reflection. She was also reaching out to the window where he last stood until he was flung out while standing on one leg the whole time. Kai was so happy he wanted to shed tears of joy but he can't. It was unbecoming of a soldier to cry so openly.

Unfortunately, the sinister jack-in-the-box was also there.

It was still daytime so the toys can't move but Kai could see the anger in his beady eyes.

But all he cared about was Aria, who looked like she also wanted to cry, finally able to see him again but she couldn't move. Not when it was still daytime.

Then finally, it was midnight.

The ballerina twirled around and reached her arms out to the soldier who stood at the edge of the mirror lake since he was returned to his post in the nursery.

"Kai…! I thought I would never see you again!" If she were human, Aria's sky blue eyes would've wept with tears of joy but alas, she was also but a toy.

The soldier managed to leap along the edge of the 'lake' on his one leg to be with her.

"I can't deny it," Kai began, "It's definitely fate that brought us back here."

Their hands finally linked together and they saw only each other, not caring about anything else but each other. To them, this was nothing short of pure bliss.

But suddenly, the same boy who received the tin soldier on his birthday came in, picked him up, and stared at him with a very deep frown.

As if out of a sudden impulse, he threw the tin soldier into the stove and left!

The moment he was thrown in, Kai could've sworn he heard the jack-in-the-box's cackles.

Despite the terrible heat, Kai stood strong yet he wondered if it came from the flaming stove, or the flames of love. He'll never know. But all he could think about was his ballerina and he 'cried' for the first and only time as melting tin fell from his eyes like tears while he saw Aria who could do nothing but look on with pure devastation as he felt his own life slip away.

"What did I tell you?" The troll-like creature bragged, "You two never belonged to each other!"

The ballerina sobbed hysterically as her steadfast tin soldier slowly melted away.

Just when they thought they could be together destiny proved to be cruel.

But it can also be helpful in its own strange ways.

A single gust that came seemingly from nowhere picked up Aria off the table and into the stove.

The little ballerina who was already adorned in flames flew like a sylph and into the fire, where she and her tin soldier can finally be together, even for the briefest of moments. The flammable tutu caused the dancer to flare up in a flash and she was gone in an instant while the tin soldier gradually melted as long as the flames of love burned.

* * *

The next morning, when the scullery maid cleaned out the stove, she found something strange within the cinders.

In the stove was a little piece of tin melted into the shape of a heart, which was the remains of the steadfast tin soldier. Attached to the tin heart was a sequin, which was all that remained of the little ballerina. But it no longer shone like the sun, for it was burned as black as coal.

But the tin soldier and his ballerina still live on. Their bodies and spirits are finally together, now that their sufferings have found its rewards.

They shall remain together forever in this life and the next.

THE END

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**Phew! My second story done!**

**Again, I feel a little sad to finish a story. They're kinda like my children, even though it sounds weird as hell. But at least that makes room for more stories! I couldn't have made it this far without all your support! Thank you so much & I'll see you in my next stories!**


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